Time of day to fish?

[TCB]

I visited a boat ramp access this morning around 7:45 am and my car said it was 35 degrees. The high today is supposed to be around 72 degrees. 
 

Would this be a good place? What time of day should I bass fish at these boat ramps and what type of line/lures would you recommend? 
 

I haven’t caught a bass yet, but I am trying. Any tips would be really appreciated.  

[FishinBuck07]

Early in the year when the water is colder, I usually try to fish later in the day so the water warms up a little bit. 

[frogflogger]

What ever time you can fish is good. Most of my decent fish have come between 10 and 2.

[huZZah]

Early morning/late evening fishing is for warm temps. Cold water you generally have better chances when the sun comes up and warms the water a little.  This time of year I still don’t get to the water before 10ish. Sometimes 12. And it usually pays off. Especially around concrete boat ramps that warm fast. 

[Sphynx]

You can catch bass any time there is open water, unfortunately we are going to need a bit more information to give you anything terrifically specific, but my general advice for someone looking to catch their first bass is to go with a weightless senko, if you have water you can't see through, use a black one with flakes in it, I like black and blue but you can pretty much use anything, black, junebug, anything along those lines, if it's clear, use green pumpkin or a watermelon color, rig a 5 inch senko on an offset round bend worm hook in size 3/0 or 4/0 and rig it weedless, just YouTube how to rig a bait weedless, I like 12 or 15lb maxima ultragreen, toss it at sticks, grass or weed edges you see, anything it looks like a fish could hide in or behind and catch a prey item unaware, you feel something tap on it like Morse code, let it rip, you got a fish.

[TCB]

I have used a weightless wacky rig (without the o-ring)  and a weightless Texas rig. I think the hooks I was using were the Gammy 2/0 EWG Offset. Is that a good hook for those setups? 

[BassinCNY]

47 minutes ago, TCB said:

I have used a weightless wacky rig (without the o-ring)  and a weightless Texas rig. I think the hooks I was using were the Gammy 2/0 EWG Offset. Is that a good hook for those setups? 

Yes. That hook will work fine.

[gim]

1 hour ago, huZZah said:

Cold water you generally have better chances when the sun comes up and warms the water a little.

Agreed, spring/fall is better to target the warmer temps during the middle of the day.  Summer is the opposite.  Early/late in the day, when its raining/cloudy, or at night are generally better options than the searing heat of midday.

[Junk Fisherman]

Like these other fellas have said, it depends on the time of the year.  I always get out at daylight during summer conditions but during the spring and fall I will often get out later in the morning.  

[BigAngus752]

1 hour ago, TCB said:

my car said it was 35 degrees. The high today is supposed to be around 72 degrees. 

Don’t pay attention to the air temp the day you are fishing. It doesnt matter. What have the temps been the past few days? Was it a warming trend?  Was it a cooling trend?  Has it been sunny or cloudy? Warming is good in the spring. Today’s air temp won’t affect the water today. Is the water rising, staying the same, or falling?  Cooling trend and falling water in spring can really slow the fishing down. Warm rain can really turn it on. 

[BlakeMolone]

On the subject of boat ramps I always like to make a few casts with a small craw or ned rig on the edges of the boat ramp and in the warmer months I can almost always atleast get a dink or two doing this!

[Biglittle8]

4 hours ago, BigAngus752 said:

Don’t pay attention to the air temp the day you are fishing. It doesnt matter. What have the temps been the past few days? Was it a warming trend?  Was it a cooling trend?  Has it been sunny or cloudy? Warming is good in the spring. Today’s air temp won’t affect the water today. Is the water rising, staying the same, or falling?  Cooling trend and falling water in spring can really slow the fishing down. Warm rain can really turn it on. 

+1  this .. A big body of water takes a lot more than overnight to warm or cool

[Boomstick]

In the cooler months, I'll go in the middle of the day when it's warmer. I don't think it necessarily matters for the fish but they're also less likely to feed at dusk and dawn.

 

Once it gets hot, I usually head out later in the afternoon and stay out as late as I can see to night fish since I'm not a morning person. Fishing at dawn is even more productive if you can get up that early.

[Bluebasser86]

The myth that you should go during the middle of the day in the winter months is just that. I fish all winter long and I can't tell you how many times they're biting like crazy right out of the gate and then shut down completely when the sun gets up. I suspect it's just that it's more comfortable to the fishermen so it gives us an excuse to wait until the temps are more comfortable to us when in reality, the bass still use the lowlight period in the winter to their advantage just like they do during the summer months.

 

Boat ramps are great places to fish and the best time to fish is when you can, but make sure you're not blocking boat traffic and that it's allowed on the ramp. Some ramps here you're not allowed to bank fish from.

[soflabasser]

Any time you get to go bass fishing is a good time to fish for bass. Focus more on finding where the bass are located in a body of water and what lures work best in the place you are fishing. 

[Mbirdsley]

Yeah, any time you go fishing is a good time.  This time of year in Michigan untill it gets to be about 60 degrees. I try launching by 10-11 am so I’m getting the hottest part of the day.  Only decent thing about this time of year is I can sleep in on my off days 

[Fir3hawk]

My general rule of thumb, peak of the day during the cool season (late fall, winter, early spring)

 

Early morning or evening during peak of summer.

 

That being said, anytime is better than never. Can’t catch them from the couch.

[MN Fisher]

56 minutes ago, Fir3hawk said:

Early morning or evening during peak of summer.

FYI: The one in my profile pic was my best of 2019. Caught 31 July just before noon.

 

Sometimes they do bite during the 'heat of the day' in summer.

[Hammer 4]

All of my biggest bass, whether it's winter, spring or the heat of summer, have all come from 12:00 noon to about 2 pm. That goes for Big lakes to city park ponds, weird huh. 

[roadwarrior]

3 hours ago, Hammer 4 said:

All of my biggest bass, whether it's winter, spring or the heat of summer, have all come from 12:00 noon to about 2 pm. That goes for Big lakes to city park ponds, weird huh. 

Not weird at all. Most big bass are caught between 10:00 and 2:00.

 

 

[MGF]

I don't like doing all the work in the dark that's required to be fishing early in the morning...though I love to be out early when it's possible. I usually don't head for the ramp until I have some daylight. I catch a lot of fish in the middle of the day, especially on the river.

 

It's often late in the day when I get to the spot (s) on the river where I'm catching the fish anyway. That's the way it is on a river where much of it is too shallow to motor. You get there when you get there.

 

 

[Fir3hawk]

21 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

FYI: The one in my profile pic was my best of 2019. Caught 31 July just before noon.

 

Sometimes they do bite during the 'heat of the day' in summer.

Never know if you don’t go! I sometimes wake up later than I want but still try to get out for a bit anyway.

[WRB]

My advice is start at the beginning and learn some basic presentations and techniques. This site has lots of video’s by Glenn and articles to read.

Where are you located? What type of tackle and lures do you have?

Tom